Diaphragm convertible pump



Dec. 20, 1932.

J. C. GORMAN DIAPHRAGM CONVERTIBLE PUMP ZSheets-Shee; l

Filed July 8, 1951 gwuemtoz J4MS C. GORMFIN J. c. GORMAN 1,891,408

DIAPHRAGM CONVERTIBLE PUMP Filed July 8, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 20,1932.

Patented Dec. 20, 193? UNITED STATES PATENT orFncE JAMES C. GORMAN, OFMANSFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGN OR TO THE BARNES MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OFMANSFIELD, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO DIAPHRAGM CONVERTIBLE PUMPApplicationfil'ed July 8, 1931. Serial N0. 549,547.

This invention relates to suction diaphragm pumps, more especially ofthe closed type used for drainage purposes, and aims to provide animproved heavy-duty pump convertible from open-discharge to force-liftoperation and vice verse. by a very simple expedient of mere adjustment.

Drainage pumps suitable for various construction, and engineeringprojects must not only have a large water capacity, but be capable ofhandling or passing considerable mud and solid material withoutliability of fouling or breakage. Simplicity is a prime requisite inaddition to sturdiness and durability under hard constant usage. Thereare two distinctly 'difl'erent forms in which such pumps are generallymade, one being the open-spout discharge form for use where the drainageis to be spilled out at the pump and the'other being the coupled-conduitdischarge form for use where the drainage must be forced awayand'usually up to a distant point. Neither serves the purpose oftheother and as it is desirable to eliminate thev necessity of havingboth forms for the different operative requirements, several pumpsadapted to conversion from one to the other form or operative resulthave been devised. These however have required special equipment andbothersome alterations which along with structural inadaptabilitiesrender them not altogether satisfactory. The present invention isintended to provide a pump easily and ideally adaptable to either formor mode V of operation.

It will be best understood by further description with reference .to theappended drawings illustrating one practicable and very simpleembodiment thereof.

In said drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the machine as placedin position for operation;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of the pump proper on enlargedscale showing the various structural features; and

Fig. 3 isa front elevation of a movable part serving to convert the pumpinstantly from open-discharge to force-lift operation, said view beingtaken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The illustrative pump including a suitable also by the liquid in thepower plant is portably mounted on a dropframe truck 4 so as to be aslow as possible to the drainage level. It embodies a casing 5 ofbowl-like form open at the upper end, into which the operating plungerextends from above. Bracket members 6 at opposite sides and desirablyintegral therewith provide journalling support for the crank-shaft aslater described. vSaid casing hasa liberally wide inlet passage 7 and alike outlet passage 8 formed opposite one another to provide a directWater channel therethrough, theoutlet passage being directed upwardly todis. pose, its port with controlling valve above that of the inletpassage for a purpose to hereinafter appear.

The inlet passage is capped by a platemember 9 bolted to the casing andhaving-a threaded nipple for connection of a hose 10 through which thewater to be drained from an excavation is drawn up by" pump suction.

Said member in this instance has a hollow body portion fitting into thepassage with its end providing the seat for a closure-valve 11 disposedat fifteen or more degrees inclination to the horizontal'and openinginwardly. i The seat for this valve obviously may be otherwise formed asin the walls of the passage, but the described arrangement isconsideredmore advantageous.

Said inlet controlling valve is of the .flap type comprising a'flexiblesheet piece fastened at the top to the aforesaid portion of the plateand weighted by metal washers on both sides for gravity closing. Ityields of course to theinfiow of water and such mud orsolid material asmay be drawn therewith by suction of the pump on upward stroke of theplunger, but seats to close the intake port on down stroke of theplunger to eject a charge. Its gravity closing and pressure to seat isaided not: only by its inclination but pump casing during the'dischargestroke.

Access to this valve for replacement when necessary is afforded throughan opening 12 in the intake passage, which is normally closed by acover-plate 13 held down by side clamp-bolts 1 4 and also by a centraltensioning screw 15'as shown in Fig. 1.

The outlet passage is directed upwardly in this instance by a bendcoupling 16 bolted to the casing and terminating in a seat for a closurevalve 17 disposed horizontally above the level of the inlet passage.This outlet controlling valve is similar to the aforesaid inlet valveand operates correspondingly in the same direction, being fastened tothe end of the aforesaid coupling adjacent its seat as shown. It liftsof course with the flow of water expelled from the pump casing on downstroke of the plunger but effectually closes the port against indraft ofair with suction on upward stroke of the plunger. Its gravity closingand pressure to seat is aided by water bearing against its outer side asa small quantity is retained thereabove to do as next described.

To said coupling is connected a spoutmember 18 bending in oppositedirection and therewith forming an SJ-shaped extension of the outletpassage. This member provides a trap space around the aforesaid outletvalve to hold a small quantity of the discharge water thereahove formore efiectual sealing against air intake as before stated. Most ofthewater of course expels out through the member as the plunger forcesitwith down stroke. Further description with reference to said memberwill be given later.

It may here be stated that gaskets are applied between parts orconnections where leakage is otherwise likely to occur, such beingrepresented but not specifically mentioned at the different pointsbecause the need therefor is obvious and well understood.

In the opening at top of the pump casing, a flexed diaphragm 19 works upand down with plunger action. This diaphragm is clamped over saidopening by a ring 20 around the edge secured by bolting to the casing,such arrangement being most advantageous in affording easy removal andreplacement without necessity of dismantling or disturbing other partsof the pump. Its center is clampedbetweenouter and inner platescomprising the plunger 21 giving it movement and which relieves strainthereon by transmitting the opposite stroke forces uniformly. As thusapplied, the diaphragm lasts longer than in the ordinary diaphragm pumpbecause none of the water is discharged through it and gravel or siltfrom the water accordingly have no chance to settle with a cuttingaction in its fold. Vicar however is unavoidable and, when replacementbecomes necessary, it is un'clamped from the plunger by removing thebolts shown holding the two plate parts of the latter together, thesebeing disposed conveniently to wrench appliance like those of the outerclamping ring.

The inner plate part of the aforesaid plunger is out out or recessed atthe discharge side as represented at 22 to allow free expulsion of anysolid material along with the water drawn into the casing and so assureclear or unfouled passage through the pump. The wall of the plate at theinlet side of course gives greater force to expulsion as the plungermoves downward since it prevents backwash.

The plunger is rigidly attached by bolting to the end of an actuatingrod 23. The latter connects with the throw of a crank-shaft 24, which isjo-urnaled above in bearings provided on the ends of the aforementionedbracket members (6) at the pump casings sides. An arcuate tie-brace 25between these members serves to steady and hold them in alignment butmight be omitted if the members are more heavily cast as may bepreferred in some cases and the shaft mounting is of course largely amatter of choice.

Said crank-shaft carries a gear 26 forming part of a reduction geartrain shown comprising intermediate jointly rotated gears 27 and 28driven by pinion 29 on a stub-shaft having flexible coupling 80 with thedrive shaft of the power plant. The several gears of this train whichneed not be described in greater detail, are enclosedi'na casing 31 atthepumpside. 'The'drive shaft with which said coupling is made in thisinstance comprises the crank-shaft 32 of an internal combustion engine33, although some other power or driving means might of'course be used.

Reverting now to the aforedescribed spout member (18), acapping plate 34therefor is attached by a pivoted link or hinge connection 35 so as toswing against or away from its end. This plate is formed 'with athreaded nipple for coupling of a hose'36 for conducting the dischargeto a point away from and also. above the pump; It is fastened over thespout-members month by two or more bolts 37 preferably secured thereinso not to drop out when unfastened and swung free. In the full lineposition shown, the plate adapts the. pump to force-lift dischargeoperation, but when swungto the dotted line position uncovering thespout, it adapts the pump to open discharge operation and so convertsthe same from one to the other of the two described forms by the simpleexpedient of adjusting to either position. The only tool required forthe conversion is a wrench to fasten or unfasten the bolts. It isaccordingly not only simple but most convenient in accomplishing theintended purpose;

The pump thus constructed and convertible is capable of handlinganything that will flow through the intake hose, which is usually of thestandard four-inch size. The arrangement of the intake and exhaustvalves opposite one another and at different levels and inclinationspromotes a very strong suction force of the pump and renders it moreefficient in operation than other known forms. It is also proof againstfouling with mud and other material drawn thereinto with the water, therecessing of the plunger part assuring clear-out with each down stroke.When operating in open spout discharge, the described pump has acapacity of thirteen thousand gallons per hour on low lift and will workefficiently up to a total lift of twenty-five feet, at which its maximumcapacity is six thousand gallons per hour. When operating in force-liftdischarge it is capable of pumping under any head up to thirty-five feetand at this maximum head has a capacity of five thousand gallons perhour. A duplex construction on the same principles would of course havea much higher capacity.

As various modifications with changes in form and arrangement of partsmay be made without departing from the scope of the invention, theappended claims are not intended to limit the same to the specificconstruction shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A pump having a nozzle attachment with hose-coupling in swingconnection with the pump discharge mouth adapted to convert the pumpfrom open discharge to force lift operation by simple adjustment fromposition free to position over said mouth without attachment or removalof any element. v

2. A pump having an outlet valve above its intake, a discharge spoutbeyond and above said valve, and a nozzle member with hosecoupling inhinged connection with said spout; said member being adapted to swingover and away from the mouth of the spout with simple fastening ineither position so as to convert the pump from force-lift to opendischarge operation and vice versa without attaching, removing oradjusting any other part.

3. A pump having a discharge spout beyond its outlet valve and acapping-member hinged to said spout and adapted to swing fasteningthereover in a closing position; said capping-member being formed with athreaded nipple for attachment of a hose and functioning to convert thepump from force-lift to open discharge or vice versa according towhether it is fastened overor swung away from the spout opening.

4. In a pump having a spout beyond the outlet valve, a hose attachmentfor converting the pump from open discharge to forcelift operation andvice versa, comprising a capping-member hinged to the spout so as toswing over its end and formed with a threaded nipple having a hoseconnection, and clamp bolts swiveled to swing into position holding saidcapping-member over the spout end.

5. A pump having coupling means including a hose in movable connectionwith the pump discharge conduit beyond the outlet valve for convertingthe same from an open 6. A pump having a coupling member with attachedhose in swiveled connection with the pump discharge conduit beyond theoutlet valve for converting the same from open discharge to force-liftoperation and vice versa by swing and simple adjustment of said couplingmember from an open to a closed position without attachment or removalof any element. r

7. In a pump, a discharge conduit having a capping member with connectedhose attached thereto beyond the pump outlet valve so as to swing froman opening to closing position over the conduit mouth and convert thepump from open discharge to force-lift operation and viceversa withoutattaching, adjusting or changing any other part.

7 8. A pump having an outlet valve and discharge mouth above the levelof the pump intake provided with a capping member with attached hose inhinge connection with said mouth adapting the pump to beconverted fromforce-lift to open-discharge operation and vice versaby simpleadjustment of said member from an open to a closed position.

9. A diaphragm pump comprising an open-topped casing having a throughpassage providing the intake and discharge ports at different levels;one-way valves controlling said ports; a piston I member extendingthrough and connecting with a flexible diaphragm marginally clampedaround the open-top edge of the casing, a spout connecting with thedischarge port beyond and above the outlet valve; and a permanentattachment to said spout adapted to convert the pump from open dischargeto force lift operation andvice versa; said attachment comprising acapping-plate hinged to the spout so as to swing over the end thereofand formed with a threaded nipple having a hose connection, togetherwith bolts swiveled to swing into position clamping the plate in place.

10. In a pump, a nozzle plate with hose attachment in hinged connectionwith the pump discharge spout beyond the outlet valve adapted to swingand fastening over the spout so as to quickly convert the pump from opendischarge to force lift operation and back again at will without anyother appliance or change. V

In testimony whereof'I aflix my signature.

JAMES C. GORMAN.

